Improvement in metallic bedsteads



. y UNITED STATES PATENTv OFFICE.

JOHN OAREY, OE BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR To SAMUEL A. SMITH, OE SMITH- y Tow-N, NEW YORK.

|MPROvEMi-:NT IN METALUO BEDSTEADS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 35,414, dated May 27, 1862.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN CAREY, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York,have iuventeda new and useful Improvement in the Construction of Metallic Bedsteads; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specication, in which-- Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section of my invention, taken in the line a: x, Fig, 2. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same, taken in .the line y y, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a portion of the same, taken in the line z z, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a portion of the same, taken in the line e a', Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate' corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention consists in constructing the bedsteads of wrought and cast metal in the manner hereinafter fully shown and described, whereby a strong and durable bedstead is obtained, one that may be cheaply manufactured and still have a chaste and ornametal appearance.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention,I will proceed to describe it. I l

A represents the four posts of the bedstead, which are constructed of sheet metal bent in the form of tubes and slightly conical.

B B represent the front and end rails ofthe y bedstead, which are also of sheet metal and rolled in angular shape, forming what are technically termed angleplates77 or angleirons.77 The front and end rails,B B,are permanently attached to the posts A by castings C, which are also of bent or angular form when Viewed in a vertical direction, as shown in Fig. 2. These castings C are shrunk on the posts A and rails B, the latter being fitted in each post and the end rail.

five parts together-to wit, the two parts of The lower parts of the posts form the legs of the bedsteads.

The free or disengaged end of each casting C is provided with a dovetail recess, a, which receives corresponding-shaped tenons b at the the ends of the side rails, D. These side rails are of cast metal, the tenons b being cast on them, and said tenons, as well as the recesses b, are vertically of taper form, so that the side rails will be supported by them,as well as prevented from being disengaged longitudinally from the castings. The side rails, D, are each formed of two equal parts, connected at their inner ends to a casting, E, by dovetail recesses c in the latter and dovetail tenons d in the ends of the former. These dovetail joints are precisely the same as those described for connecting the castings C with the opposite ends of the side rails. The castings E are shrunk ou the upper ends of inverted conical legs F, which, like the lower parts of the posts A, are constructed of sheet metal bent in tubular form and of inverted conical shape, said legs supporting the central parts of the side rails, D. (See Fig. 4.)

G G represent two extension-rods, which are formed each of two parts connected bya swivel screw-joint, e, as shown clearly in Fig. 2. The ends of these rods are hooked into eyes f f, secured to the inner surfaces of the end rails B B. These extension-rods receive the slats or the bed-bottom, on which the mattress is placed, and said rods are vstrained and kept taut by turning the'joints e. The end rails B B re- "ceive the weight of the bed, clothing, 85e., and

therefore require to be of wrought metal; but as the side rails, D, are not subjected to any part of said weight they may be of cast metal.

The front and end posts A at each end of the bedstead above the end rails B are connected by a frame-work formed of horizontal, vertical,and diagonal rods g,connected by castmetal heads h, which may be cast round the ends of the rods g at their points of intersection or contact, the ends of the latter fitting in the molds in which the former are cast. I do not, however, confine myself to this frame-work, as others may be used, or none at all, as desired.

I would remark that I use iron molds for casting the several parts specified, and as said molds are readily adjusted-that is to say, opened and closed-the parts around which said castings are shrunk may be easily tted in the molds.

The upper ends of the posts A have a wire frame, H, attached for the purpose of supporting a mosquito-netting. Iron will be the material most generally, if not exclusively, used in the construction of the bedstead.

By constructing the bedstead as herein shown and described a very durable and cheap bedstead is obtained. I can manufacture them neatly japanned, so as to have a very chaste and ornamental appearance, for from four to live dollars each, all complete and have a fair profit atthat price. This is much below the cost of ordinary metallic bedsteads. The economy in the manufacture is obtained by dispensing with the manual labor hitherto required in putting the parts together and fitting them up. The fitting up in my invention is done at the time of casting, for after the casting is done the permanent parts are all con# nected and any pressure can fit them together, no mechanical labor being required. The wrought-iron partsto wit, the posts, legs, and end rails-are all formed by machinery at a small advance on the price of the stock.

The ordinary metallic bedsteads require a great deal of riveting, filing, chipping, forging, the. In fact, the mechanical manipulation constitutes the principal cost. There are cast-metal bedsteads made, but they are very heavy and cumbersome, so much so as to prevent them being generally adopted. My iuvention is quite light and still strong and durable.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent as an improved article of manufacture- 1. A metallic bedstead having its posts A formed of sheet metal bent in tubular form, and its end rails B formed of wrought-iron angle-plates, the two posts and end rail at each end of the bedstead being connected by castings Cshrunk or cast on them,as described, and the castings provided with dovetail grooves to receive the tenons of the east-metal side rails, D, which are formed of two parts connected by dovetailjoints with castings E,which are shrunk or cast on tubular sheet-metal legs F, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination withthepartsconstructed as above described, the longitudinal extensionrods G G, attached to the wrought-metal end )ieces B B and )rovided with serew-'oints e 1 7 1 7 as and for the purpose specified.

' JOHN CAREY. Vi tnesses:

CHAs. H. NVARNER, JAMES LAIRD. 

